Ian Macfarlane always has his sleeves rolled up. This is his personal signature and also a metaphor for how he has gone about his work.
Ian has served more than three decades in public life including 18 years in Parliament and nearly 14 years in Cabinet or shadow Cabinet.
His work in the Howard Government as Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources helped Australia make the most of the greatest resources boom in our history.
He led major reforms in the national electricity and gas markets, which will help us soon become the largest LNG exporter in the world.
Ian’s hard working, practical and problem-solving approach has earned him respect across the resources sector.
There are few if any Australians who better understand the public policy realms of industry, resources and science.
And his contribution cannot only be measured on the national level. As a strong and persuasive local member Ian has made his mark improving the day to day lives of his constituents forcefully arguing and securing funding for the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing and improvements to the Warrego Highway.
Ian said in his Maiden speech that it was his ambition to turn Australia’s future challenges into opportunities, and this is exactly what he has done.
Ian has been and remains one of my closest friends in politics. His retirement from Parliament is the end of an era but I have no doubt he will go from strength to strength in a new stage of his career and continue to make a formidable contribution to our nation.
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